David discusses embracing failure as an important process of being an entrepreneur and gives what he believes to be the two major causes of failure.

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Previously, David was a founder of several software and web technology companies. He was the founder and CTO of Pinpoint Technologies which was acquired by ZOLL Medical Corporation in 1999. David was also the founder and CEO of earFeeder.com, a music service which was sold to SonicSwap.com in 2006. He also had what he likes to think of as a “graceful failure” in between. David is an active startup advocate, advisor, board member, and technology advisor who comments on these topics on his blog at DavidGCohen.com. He is also very active at the University of Colorado, serving as a member of the Board of Advisors of the Computer Science Department, the Entrepreneurial Advisory Board at Silicon Flatirons, and the Board of Advisors of the Deming Center Venture Fund. David is also a member of the selection committee for Venture Capital in the Rockies, and runs the Colorado chapter of the Open Angel Forum. David’s hobbies are technology, software/web startups, business history, and tennis. He is married to the coolest girl he’s ever met and has three amazing kids who always seem to be teaching him something new.
 

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John discusses the role of innovation and the entrepreneurial spirit in a corporate setting, and emphasizes the value of mentors to college students.

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John Quigley believes in living outside of the comfort zone. Whether it’s developing the latest Visteon technology, or go-kart racing with his 13-year-old daughter, Quigley pushes the limits to see what he – and others around him – can really accomplish.

John is Director of Global Technology Development for Visteon’s Powertrain Control Systems Division. He is also Visteon’s official ambassador of racing, a role he professionally nurtures and personally treasures.

“So many companies get into racing for the sponsorship, for the billboards,” Quigley says. “Visteon has entered racing to develop and prove out its technology. And there is no harsher environment for proving technology than racing.”

 

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In this podcast, Stuart discusses how he, throughout his life, has always followed his passion, whether that be moving to Florida to enjoy the sun, producing movies, or becoming a physiatrist and starting up rehab centers.

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Dr. Miller is a private practice Physiatrist specializing in stroke rehabilitation, spinal cord injury rehabilitation, orthopedic rehabilitation, oncology rehabilitation and post traumatic injury rehabilitation as well as electrodiagnostic medicine and nerve conduction velocity studies. He completed his internship program at St. Agnes Hospital in Baltimore and his residency at Emory University Hospital in Atlanta.
 

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Susan Youngblood discusses the importance of having a mentor that can help and guide you through your career. She also outlines the differences between a sponsor and a mentor.

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Susan defines a mentor as someone that you can go to with questions, who has more experience than you in a certain area, and who can teach you skills that you lack. A sponsor is someone who has seen your work and can champion your candidacy for a particular job and who pushes your career forward based on what they’ve seen you do. People can get a mentor either through an informal relationship (a next-door neighbor) or a formal relationship (a top executive). To get the attention of a prospective mentor, either send an email directly or connect through a network, such as a manager or mutual friend. People need mentors because somewhere down the line, everyone runs into challenges and doesn’t know what to do. A mentor has “been there”, and can have great advice to help you get through hard times and succeed. In return, the mentor gets a new perspective and the satisfaction of helping others. Even if you don’t think it is important now, go find a mentor and nurture all the relationships that you form over your career.

Wendy Spelman discusses the importance of an internship and how to effectively get technical skills across in an interview. She also touches upon the importance of teamwork at the start a new career.

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Wendy explains that experienced interviewers look for specific qualities from candidates during an interview. Companies often look for the same set of skills in interns and full time employees. An employee needs to balance leadership skills and working on a team; they need to know when to lead and when to follow. Wendy suggests putting an emphasis on establishing a role as a member of the team first, then moving into a leadership role. At companies like Kraft, interns often become full time employees. This happens when the intern and the company are compatible with each other.
 
When interviewing prospective employees, Kraft looks for technical science skills, best demonstrated through past work and intern experiences. When new employees are hired, they are paired with a buddy to assist with the initial transition. When an employees chooses her career path, she also chooses a mentor to further develop all of the necessary technically skills.

Steve Benjamin discusses the benefits of alumni networking. His recommendation to students is to “get over themselves” and focus on the opportunities that still exist. He advises students to reach out and tap the vast networks available to them.

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Steve thinks that students are overly concerned about the down turn of the economy, since the situation has been much worse in the past. He recommends that students get over their stress and start focusing on the problem at hand. Students that are graduating from Cornell are at the top of the pyramid. Blindly sending out resumes won’t be very helpful. Graduate school is a very good option, with short term and long-term benefits. If you are in the engineering school at Cornell, Steve highly suggests that you stay one more year for the master’s degree. If you decide to start looking for jobs, you should use the alumni network. For example, Steve serves as a mentor to an undergraduate student interested in engineering and entrepreneurship. He gives students assignments and advice that can help them find opportunities. Don’t contact the alumni for direct help in obtaining a job, but for help in seeking out new paths and opportunities. Steve reminds students to thank the alumni and keep them updated on your progress.